A PROPOSAL to introduce Friday-night games to the Six Nations Championship met with a cool response from the BBC last night.

A PROPOSAL to introduce Friday-night games to the Six Nations Championship met with a cool response from the BBC last night.

The idea for yet more radical tinkering with the format of the historic championship was revealed yesterday by Six Nations chief executive John Feehan on the eve of today's final round of Championship games, which climaxes in a 9pm local time kick-off tonight.

Emphasising that the plan was no more than a proposal at this stage, Mr Feehan commented, "The Friday-night option is one which will certainly be explored."

He said the subject had been raised by three or four of the championship stakeholders, and added, "My own view is that it could be very, very popular."

However, in a statement to The Western Mail, BBC Sport's head of programmes and planning, Pat Younge appeared to pour cold water on the idea. "This has not been raised with us, formally or informally," he said.

"Our initial reaction would be against because of the impact on the volume of travelling fans and the television schedules. The views of other broadcasters would also need to be taken into account.

"The current format of the Six Nations seems to be working very well and there would need to be a strong argument from all parties concerned to change that."

Several rugby stars and commentators have joined Welsh fans in opposing the idea.

Welsh Rugby Union chairman Dai Pickering kept his distance from the proposal, saying the issue had not yet been raised at the Six Nations committee.